So You Want to be a Car Owner? Quiz

Answer: Yes, since exotic makes are more expensive to maintain.

Buying an exotic make, such as a Ferrari and Lamborghini, versus buying a common make, such as Ford and Toyota, can end up costing you a big chunk of change. Aftermarket parts are more readily available for the more common makes and are less expensive than factory parts.

To give you an example, I just recently tried to find an alternator for a 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider which turned out to be quite the hassle, and a grand total of a bit over $1,400. I can easily get a brand new alternator for a 2006 Ford Mustang at Kragen for $284.44.

Also keep in mind that few mechanics specialize in exotic cars, so if you can't do the job yourself it can be tricky to find someone that can do it for you at a reasonable rate. If you're interested in finding out which cars have lower maintenance costs compared to others, IntelliChoice comes out with a SmartChoice Maintenance Costs Award each year that can be found at www.intellichoice.com.

Answer: A silver one.

A car with a neutral color almost always has a higher resale value. The exception can be found with "designer" cars. Also, if you ever need to have a paint job done, matching a neutral color is easier and less expensive than an unusual one.

I've included these two articles that mention color and resale value, as well as other tips for smart car buying:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/car-guide-2004/options-best1.asp

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/23/Autos/resale_value/index.htm

Answer: Not really. He wants to make the sale and get the commission.

The salesman knows that you've just picked a car with an almost certain lower resale value. His reason for wanting you to buy the odd colored one is because he'll get a higher commission than if you had picked the silver one. The odd colored cars are harder to move off the lot, so the extra commission is an added incentive for the salesmen and women to sell it and keep inventory from sitting. The salesman's colleagues might very well be giving him high fives as you drive off the lot in your orange, yellow, or purple car.

This is a link to Confessions of a Car Salesman that'll give you a bit more insight as to how most car salesmen work. http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying/articles/42962/page003.html

Answer: The older car with the lower mileage.

Ever seen photos of Jewel and Amy Winehouse? It's the mileage, baby. Mileage is what wears parts out.

Answer: Take it out for a test drive.

Always take the car out for a test drive. The engine isn't the only part of the car that matters. Unless you drive it, you won't know how it handles.

Answer: A long enough drive that you can test it both in city traffic and on the highway.

Cars behave differently at different speeds. You want to test it not only in city traffic but also on the highway. You might not be able to feel the car pulling left or right, any vibrations, or hear any strange noises when you're only going 30 mph but once you hit 65 you might.

Answer: False

The car depreciates in value as soon as you drive it off the lot. No ifs, ands, or buts. For more information about this I've added the following links:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/20011226a.asp

http://www.fraudguides.com/auto-buying-a-used-car.asp

http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2007/11/13/5-reasons-you-should-buy-a-new-car/

Answer: After about 5,000 miles.

For most cars it's every 5,000 miles or longer. Look in your owner's manual what the manufacturer specifies for the type of driving you do. Changing your oil more frequently (You might remember the old slogan "every 3,000 miles or every 3 months") than what you need to won't make your car last longer, drive better or save you gas. It'll only cost you more money.

Answer: A jack and a lug wrench

A friend of mine has changed a tire by using a shovel instead of a jack, but I wouldn't recommend it. She did an awful lot of digging to pull that one off.

Answer: "to not blow up anything or anyone else"

The four goals are:

Your first and most important goal is to walk away from your car at the end of the day with all digits, appendages and eyebrows intact.

Your second goal is to not blow up anything or anyone else.

Your third goal is to not break something that's not already broken.

Your fourth goal is to fix what's broken.

(Source: www.cartalk.com)

If you can't reach these goals, it's best to bring your car to a mechanic to do the job.